View full sizeKenjon Barner talks to the media at a Fiesta Bowl press conference.Thomas Boyd/The Oregonian

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — It's easy to forget that Kenjon Barner
started his Oregon career as a scout-team defensive back in 2008.

In the spring of 2009, with the Ducks thin at running back,
Barner was switched to offense, joining his best friend LaMichael James in the
backfield. Three years later, Barner is about to put the finishing touches on
one of the best seasons by a running back in school history.

"I couldn't have scripted this any better," Barner said.

As the No. 5 Ducks (11-1) prepare to play No. 7 Kansas State
(11-1) in the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday, Barner shares the school record with
James (from 2010) with 21 rushing touchdowns in a season. Barner could break
that mark on Thursday while chasing several other notable records, too.

Barner became the fifth different UO player to earn
consensus All-America honors, buoyed by his school-record 321-yard,
five-touchdown performance in a 62-51 victory at USC. His 1,624 yards are
fourth on the school's all-time single-season list. Barner needs 181 yards to
match James' 2011 record of 1,805 yards.

Barner also needs 188 yards to tie James' career record of
5,689 all-purpose yards.

Last year, Barner gave some thought to joining James as an early
entrant into the NFL Draft. Ultimately, he opted to return for his senior
season and his one chance at being Oregon's featured back.

"I think that's a great example of a guy that needed that
seasoning, prove that he could be 'the man,'" UO offensive coordinator Mark
Helfrich said. "There was never any doubt when you watch him practice, you see
him play. He's been like most tailbacks this time of year, battered, beat
up — and never missed a day. The only practice he missed was to go to the
Doak Walker Award (presentation in Orlando, Fla.), and that's it. Great
guy. Great smile. Humble, smart. Another example of a great kid
on the team."

Teammates and coaches have had similar praise for another
first-year starter, Marcus Mariota. The redshirt freshman quarterback has
thrown for 30 touchdowns and six interceptions, putting him three touchdowns
shy of Darron Thomas' UO record of 33 from 2011.

Just as impressive, Mariota's completion percentage of 69.9 is
the best by a UO full-time starter and on pace to break the NCAA freshman
record of 69.5 set by Oklahoma's Sam Bradford in 2007.

"It's
been fun to be able to go through all these experiences, find myself, find this
comfort level," Mariota said this week.